Brian Minter: Persimmons are trees of the future

About a year ago, I wrote about edible figs, and Jim Gilbert of Northwoods Nursery in Oregon was a great source of information. At the time, he said if I ever did an article on persimmons, I was to count him in.

So, I called him recently, and we had a conversation about persimmons and why they continue to grow in popularity and are now pretty much mainstream.

Gilbert said that once you’ve eaten a persimmon, it’s very easy to acquire a taste for them. Not only that, but they are, perhaps, one of the most beautiful of all the fruiting trees. In fall, when loaded with their tiny pumpkin-like fruits, they are quite a sight. Some folks, however, still need a little more information about this delicious exotic fruit.

There are basically two types of persimmons: the larger Asian varieties and the smaller, hardier American varieties (Diospyros virginiana). ‘Meader’ is one of the best American varieties, tolerating temperatures of -31C. It’s a much larger tree than its cousins, growing about ten metres in height, and with its shiny foliage and yellowish-red fall colouring, it has a somewhat tropical look. Its fruit is about the size of a chicken egg but more the shape of a small squatty pumpkin. This variety is self-fertile, so only one tree is needed in the home garden.

Something new that Northwoods has introduced this year is a group of hardy varieties called ‘Prairie’ persimmons. Developed in 1980 from a breeder in Illinois, this ‘Prairie’ series are known as ‘Sun’, ‘Dawn’, ‘Star’ and ‘Gem’. All these trees are self-fertile, and their fruits are smaller, only about two inches across. The fruits are soft when ripe and non-astringent.

“Once you start eating them, it’s hard to stop,” said Gilbert. Ideal for baked goods, they’re great used in cookies and muffins. In the Oregon area, they ripen from late September into October, and surprisingly, will start producing when the trees are only two to three years old.

Asian persimmons, said Gilbert, are the most well known and enjoyed. Varieties like ‘Jiro’ and “Fuyu’ are non-astringent and can be eaten like an apple, even when they are firm.

The astringency issue is important. Years ago, when I escorted a gardening tour to Japan, I purchased a persimmon from a street vendor. To my regret, I didn’t know that it was an astringent variety. I can still remember that awful bitter taste.

“We’ve had great luck with ‘Izu’. It’s a good Asian variety,” said Gilbert, adding the ‘Fuyu’ series of ‘Early Fuyu’, ‘Sweet Fuyu’ and ‘Giant Fuyu’ are among the most popular today.

They, too, are self-fertile and will produce fruit in two to three years.

In the Oregon region, Gilbert is finding that fruit will ripen in late October, while here in the eastern Fraser Valley, it’s mid-November before they size up and begin to turn orange.

There are very few problems growing Asian persimmons. Gilbert recommends planting them in the warmest location possible with lots of good sunshine. They like well-draining soils that have been enhanced with good organic matter, like composted manures. Very few, if any insects are a problem, and the trees seem to thrive in a wide variety of conditions.

There are, however, a couple things to remember. Asian varieties are hardy to only about -15C to -18C, and when persimmon trees are under severe water stress, there is an increased chance of fruit drop. So, during dry spells it’s important that persimmons have a thorough, deep soaking. For the most part, the trees are quite capable of looking after themselves because, according to Gilbert, they are fairly deep rooted. As the fruit softens, you might run into some bird and raccoon vandals, but they’re usually a minor problem.

Overall, persimmons are one of the easiest and most beautiful trees to grow, even in small space gardens. Their ever-increasing popularity is due to so many folks discovering the wonderful flavour of their fruits. Persimmons are trees of the future, and now is a great time to plant one … or two!

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